The Other Side of the Glass
by AgntNevada
Summary: RWBY AU where the Faunus Wars didn't go as planned. Remnant is a world without Grimm or huntsmen and where Faunus are nearly extinct and have only survived as a result of being placed in menageries. Follow the life of one such Faunus and how she grows and tries to change the fate of the rest of her race. Rated M for safety.
1. Chapter 0: Prologue

**Hey everyone! This is a new story that I started working on. I happened to be visiting a zoo over break and this little idea just popped into my head. I should note that the style of the prologue is not the style that the story itself is written in. This chapter does highlight an emotional background that I don't think I could convey with a different writing style. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Chapter 0: Prologue**

Hey, you. Yeah, you. The one staring at me through the glass. Can I ask you a question?

What do they say about us? Those people in the uniforms that take you and all of the others around the place. They always look like they're telling you all something. They always talk to you and point or gesture at us. So, what are they saying?

No one ever tells us anything and the glass cuts off all sound. We can't hear what they're saying. Come to think of it, we can't hear what you all are saying either. Crowds of you gather up and some of you press your hands and even your faces against the glass.

So many of you talk and point and you all seem like you're trying to tell us something. And then one of us will try to send a message back, we'll put our hands on the glass or wave or something, and you all start yelling and waving and we just get confused.

What are you all saying? Why are you all yelling and waving? Are we funny? Are we scary? Why won't anybody tell us what the joke is? What do they say about us?

Does anybody out there care? Do you ask questions about us? Sometimes it looks like it from where we are. One of the people in the uniforms will lead a group of you over here and talk, and then some of you will raise your hands until the guy in the uniform points at you. Then you talk and the guy talks back. Then you all look at us, maybe laugh or point, and then you all leave. What are you saying? What do they say about us?

You know, we really don't get why you all find us so interesting. We don't look that much different from you all. Some of us are girls and some of us are boys. Some of you are girls and some of you are boys.

Some of us have light hair and some of us have dark hair. Some of you have light hair and some of you have dark hair.

Many of us have different colored eyes. Many of you have different colored eyes. We notice when you all put your faces really close to the glass.

Many of us have different colored skin. Some are really dark and some are really pale. Many of you have different colored skin. Some are really dark and some are really pale.

We all talk to each other using words we were taught. Our parents teach us most of our words. Sometimes the people in the uniforms teach us others.

You all seem to talk to each other and we're pretty sure you use many of the same words we do. Your mouths move in similar ways that ours do when we talk. We're not sure where you learn your words from.

We're really not all that different, you and I. We really don't get what all the excitement is about. We're really not all that sure why there's a glass wall between us and you. I mean, if we're not all that different, why aren't we allow to hear you or talk to you?

Why do we get punished if we try to reach you? Why do you look at those signs that are placed nearby the walls? Why do you listen to the people in the uniforms when they lead you to the wall? What do they say about us?

I have to say, I'm a little surprised. Most times when I try to ask a question, you people shout and point or wave at me. Can you actually hear me? I hope so. You seem like a good listener.

Can you tell me what they say about us? Can you tell me why you all find us so interesting? We're really not that different, you and I.

… I don't think I can hear you. I can see your lips moving, but the glass is not letting me hear you. I hope you can hear me. It's been nice just to talk. I did notice that you were pointing at my head though. Is that what they talk about? My head?

I don't think it's really all that special. I have skin, the same as you do. I have hair, the same as you do. I have eyes the same as you do. They might match in color, but we both still have them. You and I have noses too. They're not the same shape but they're both clearly noses.

Hey, now that's odd. Why do you only have ears on the side of your head? I have ears there too, but I've got another set on top of my head too. Oh! Was that what you were pointing at? Why are you pointing at those old things? I've always had those. Then again, I don't think any of you people have had those kinds of ears. I haven't seen any, at any rate. My mom has ears like mine. So does my dad.

But not all of us have ears like this. One of my friends has a tail. It's really kind of cute. She can move it around and it tickles whenever it brushes my skin. Hey, do you have a tail like she does? Can you turn around? Here, let me try to gesture.

… Oh. It doesn't look like you have one. That's a bummer. I kinda think tails are cute.

Can you tell me what they talk about? Those guys in the uniforms. Do they talk about my ears or my friend's tail? Are they really that interesting? We've had them for as long as either of us can remember. None of you people seem to have them, but hey, I guess that's just who you are right?

I really appreciate you staying here and listening. None of you people seem to like doing it. Even when the guys in the uniforms are talking to you, a lot of you just seem to be looking at something else, like those rectangular things you all seem to have.

Hey, what are those actually? A lot of you point those things at us and something seems to happen. Some times they flash a bright light at us. I really don't like that part. It hurts my eyes when that flash of light happens. But it must do something because you all gather around to look at them after that happens. It must be really interesting too, if you don't listen to the people in the uniforms.

My mom said that I have to listen to them. I really don't want to, but they tell us when our food is ready and all kinds of other stuff. Mom had a word for the guys in the uniforms. What was it again? I think it was… ummm… Keepers! That was it. She called them Keepers. She won't tell me what that means. Hey, do you know?

Oh, that's right. I can't hear you through the glass. I hope you know the answer. It'd be nice to know that someone knows.

Oh, are you getting bored with the talking? You're looking at one of those signs that have near the wall. Hey, what do those things say anyway? I can't understand what's on them. Are they important? There's a bunch of them that I can see.

I really want to know if you can hear me. I wish I could just get through the glass so we can just talk. I really just want to talk to someone who knows stuff. All of my friends know some things, but none of us really know a lot.

The Keepers keep us all separate a lot of the time. I get to see mom and dad a lot and I get to see some of my friends from time to time. I don't get to see some of the others except on rare occasions. Most the friends I do get to see have ears like I do or tails like my best friend.

Hey, I've got another question. My best friend swears that there are places like ours all over. Is that true? I mean I see other places when the Keepers take me to different places.

Sometimes, they take me to see this guy who wears this long white coat. He'll place this cold metal circle on parts of my body and do all sorts of other stuff. I get to see him when I'm not feeling well.

Oh, and I get to go see my parents a lot. I don't stay here in this place with glass walls all of the time. There are lots of times when the Keepers take me to this… I guess the word is house, that is somewhere else. Sometimes I don't stay here for several days. That's been happening less and less as I get older.

Mom says that it happens to all of the pretty ones. I guess it means I'm pretty. Do you think so?

It's odd. I've spent my whole life in this place, but the more I talk to you about it, the more I begin to not like it. I mean, this place has space. I don't feel cramped. There's a pool of water here for me play in, although it seems a lot smaller now that I'm bigger. I get food several times a day, although there are times when I want more. And it's usually the same stuff too.

You all seem to have all kinds of things. I've seen some of you carrying puffy pink or blue things on little white sticks and some of you have these brown things that are twisted and bent around themselves. Oh, and some of you have little things that you unwrap and munch on when you're looking at us.

That's another thing that's different between us. The things you wear have little spots that you can put things in. I don't have those. I kinda wish I did. But, what would I put in them? I don't have any little things like you see to.

That really doesn't seem fair. We're not that different. So what if I have a pair of ears on my head. Why can't I have what you guys seem to have? You've all got these that you can carry and eat and look at. You've got all these people you can listen to or ignore whenever you want. You can ignore the Keepers and they get mad at you. It's not fair! What makes you so SPECIAL?!

… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that. I just… I just so mad, you know? I wanted to hit something. I didn't mean to hit the glass in front of you. It was just… there. Please don't leave. No one has ever stood there and just listened to me.

Are we really that different, you and I? I've got a pair of ears on my head that you don't. Does that make us different? My best friend has a tail that you don't. Does that make you two different?

Can you even hear what I'm saying? Are just staying here to make me feel better? I'm not sure if it's working. I've talked about stuff I haven't thought about in a long time.

This room doesn't really feel like it has space now. It feels really small and cramped.

My mom and dad don't talk about this stuff and they tell me not to talk about it either. They say the Keepers will take me away if they catch me talking like this. You won't tell the Keepers, will you? I don't like it here so much right now, but I don't want to leave mom and dad or my friends.

I've seen them take people away before. It's not just something mom and dad say to keep me behaved. I've seen them take away people who wouldn't stop talking like I was a bit ago.

I don't know what happens to them, but I never see them again. There's a word the Keepers use when that happens. What was it again?

…

Untamed! That's the word. Mom and dad won't tell me what it means. No one I know will tell me what it means. Do you know? I wish you could tell me. I really would like to know what it means.

They don't always take away some of us because we're 'Untamed'. Sometimes they come and take away some of us who are my age. They use different words and I guess they're different reasons.

"Transferred' is one. Some of us are 'transferred', whatever that means. Another word is 'Acquired'. Some of us are 'acquired'. My dad always snorts softly and says 'sold' whenever we hear about someone being 'acquired'. A lot of us that are around my age are 'acquired'. A lot of them are girls too. Actually, a lot of them are girls who spend a lot of time out in these spots. The pretty ones.

You're not going to acquire me, are you? Is that why you're staying here, watching me? Do you want to see if I am worth acquiring? Worth BUYING?! I don't care what the Keepers say. Dad's right. You people buy us, don't you?! You look at us all the time, deciding whether or not we're worth buying!

Well?! Are you just going to stand there and not make a sound or a motion or anything?!

…Can you please tell me where I am? I don't think I like it here anymore. I want to be over there, next to you. I want to be on the other side of the glass. I don't want to be 'transferred' or 'acquired' or 'sold' or anything. I just want to be me. I just want to be me, but over there.

Can you please tell me where I am? Why do you people find us so interesting? Why do you think we're different, when we're so alike?

Can you at least answer one question? If nothing else, can you just answer one question? None of the others will say anything. All I really want right now is the answer to one simple question.

What do they say about us? The guys in the uniforms. What do they say about us Faunus?

 **Author's note: What do you guys think? I hope you liked it and that it gave you guys something to think about. I haven't come up with a schedule for this story quite yet. If you enjoyed this, don't forget to take a look at my other story EMRD. Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review! See ya next time!**


	2. Chapter 1: Explanations

**Chapter 1: Explanations**

Let me explain a few things before I begin. If I don't then you'll have no idea what's going on. And, even if you already know recent history, let me explain anyway. I want to make sure that everyone is on the same page and that everyone has the same context. If you already know everything, then be patient. Not everyone is you.

Difference. Actually that's where is all got started. We looked different. For years and years, humans and Faunus managed to tolerate each other's existence. Humans didn't exactly treat us right, and we reciprocated the action.

There were, however, more humans in existence than Faunus, which apparently conveyed a sense of superiority to most of humanity. With me so far? Great, because it gets better. Humanity treated the Faunus as second class citizens throughout their kingdoms. Faunus always had a harder time finding work, getting paid, and all manner of other things.

We eventually got sick of it. We decided that if humanity wanted to treat us like animals, then we would prove to them that we could do everything they could, including waging war.

Well, the gun fire certainly got humanity's attention. In hindsight, we probably got a bit more attention than we bargained for. Humanity rose up against us and both sides fought for years.

It was in the third year of the war where the shit hit the fan, as the humans say. The battle at Fort Castle was a disaster.

General Lagoon had a massive army, but made what the Faunus had believed to be a rather sloppy mistake. Lagoon attacked the Faunus forces at night while they were sleeping.

Fun fact: most Faunus have nearly perfect vision in the dark. This is really useful for a number things. Getting up to get a light snack at 2 in the morning, playing hide and seek in the neighborhood a night, and firing guns at humans trying to kill you in the woods. The Faunus fighters were rather skilled and made use of their natural ability to see in the dark.

Fun fact #2: Lagoon wasn't a complete _moron_. Unbeknownst to the Faunus, the humans had developed rather high-tech night vision glasses. Not only could the human forces see in the dark, but the glasses rendered other light based blinding methods, like flash bang grenades, completely useless. The glasses regulated the amount of light that came through them, so that both utter darkness and blinding light wouldn't hinder the user.

The ingenuity of the human engineers allowed General Lagoon to overcome the advantage the Faunus had and the battle at Fort Castle become a battle of numbers. Useful war tip: Given enough time, numbers always win.

Lagoon won the battle and humanity won the war. The results weren't pretty and still aren't.

The rulers of the four kingdoms decided that the Faunus were much too dangerous to simply leave around. Just about every rebel fighter was executed and those of us who were left, both combatants and non-combatants alike, were herded off to remote locations and blocked in. A lot of Faunus died because we weren't able to set up methods of survival. Only the toughest managed to survive. The Faunus were pushed to near extinction.

Honestly, I think it might have been better if we had gone extinct. But fate seemed to have other plans. Humanity ended up getting into a squabble with themselves and there was a change in government.

This new government system found what was left of the Faunus and took "pity" on them. In order to help save a dying species, humanity rounded up as many Faunus as they could find and took them to safe locations so that they could repopulate in a controlled manner. Those locations were facilities that were equipped to help bring back the Faunus to the point where they wouldn't go extinct, but also where they wouldn't pose a threat to the sovereignty of humanity.

Those facilities were called menageries, like the island where humanity originally tried to contain the Faunus before their revolt. A more common name is Zoo.

Yep, we're kept in Zoos. Apparently we're an exotic exhibit. Some really good Faunus can really rake in the big bucks. The depressing part is, we're not a dying species anymore. We've been brought back from edge of oblivion by being treated like damn animals! We're show pieces for companies and rich people. It's actually a mark of status if someone has even a single Faunus. It's humiliating.

There are several menageries in each of the four kingdoms. Some of them have more Faunus than others and there are also several rich families in Remnant that have private menageries as well. The Schnee Dust company, for example, is rather proud of the number of Faunus they possess.

Not every Faunus is held in a menagerie. There are still some 'Wild' Faunus out in the world. It's a big event when some Wild Faunus are caught and brought to 'safety'. Dust knows the humans wouldn't want to have their commodities lost or free.

Well, that covers the historical end of things. I bet it's not what they taught you in history class, is it? I'm sure all the writers of your books and all your teachers talked about how the humans 'saved the Faunus from a cruel fate' and how humans are a 'kind and benevolent race who rose above their ancient prejudices to help a fallen species'. We Faunus have a word for what that is. I believe you humans use it too. What that is, is _bullshit_.

I just hope you haven't dissected one of us in a biology course. If you have, don't tell me. I _don't_ want to know.

Well, I suppose now I should tell you about myself.

My name is Eleanor and I'm a cat Faunus. I fall into the mammalian category of Faunus. I have gold blonde hair and emerald green eyes and I have cat ears the same color as my hair.

My best friend is Penelope who is also a cat Faunus. She has vibrant red hair and sapphire blue eyes. She has a cat tail instead of ears. Her tail is also the same color as her hair.

Penelope and I look a lot alike and we can sometimes pass for sisters if we put effort into it. I've known her my whole life, so I guess we sort of are sisters. We're both seventeen years old, but I'm three months older.

We both grew up in a menagerie in Mistral. As menageries go, it's not a bad place. It's not entirely a good place either, though. We were allowed to stay with our families unless we were 'transferred' or 'acquired' or became 'untamed'.

Apparently, Penelope and I were popular to have in the habitats, which are areas furnished to appear like the habitats of the animals we had traits from. As a result, we spent a lot of our childhoods being gawked at by people of all ages and classes.

We didn't really understand what was going on at first, we were just kids after all. By the time I was twelve, though, we both had a good idea about what was happening. It also got worse as the two of us got older. We may have been treated like animals as a class, but take it from me, we still looked human enough to have sex appeal. The menagerie we were in didn't run that way, but I've heard stories about others that make it a point to appeal to that audience set. -Blech- No thank you.

Despite that disturbing thought always lingering at the back of our minds, we didn't have things too bad as these situations went. We got consistent medical care, three meals a day, and were kept in reasonable shape. We didn't have any education other than what we were taught by our parents, but it was better than nothing.

We didn't earn any money, seeing as we were considered to be simply smarter-than-average animals, but the money we helped bring in for the menagerie helped keep our living conditions from being completely intolerable.

But, all things must come to an end. Whether they are good, bad, or middle ground, they come to an end. It was the day after Penelope turned seventeen that we got the news. The news that she and I were being transferred to a menagerie in the kingdom of Atlas.

* * *

 **Author's note: Well now. You've got some emotional subtext, and now you have the new history of Remnant. I certainly hope that you all are enjoying the story so far. Also, as promised, the style of the story is different from the style of the prologue. The style that this chapter is written in is more like the style of the actual story. My main character is rather more sarcastic and not nearly as depressing as the prologue makes her out to be. Not sure when I'll be able to post the next chapter. I'm still working on having a decent buffer for this story and I'm still posting EMRD as well. See ya next time!**


	3. Chapter 2: Habitats and Homes

**Author's Note: Just as I am obligated to update EMRD after such a long break, the same goes for this story. I'll be honest, I'm still not 100% sure where this story is going to go just yet. I have some chapters planned and I have some thoughts about what's going to happen further down the road, but I don't know how everything is going to fall just yet. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.  
On a different note, I hope you all enjoy the style that this story is written in. You got a taste of it last chapter with the altered history of Remnant. It's different from my other story, but I hope it's still me, if you know what I mean. Hope you all enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2: Habitats and Homes**

Life in a menagerie is hard. There are a lot of things that humans take for granted that we Faunus don't get. I'm pretty sure most humans don't spend their childhoods getting gawked at by people their own age and older.

Like I've said before, you don't notice that at first. You just find all of the people looking at you from the other side of the glass to be really odd. As you might imagine, privacy isn't much of thing for us.

Many families have raised their children under the eyes of humans through glass. Don't ask me why the Keepers have us do this. I really don't know the answer.

So yeah, we don't have a lot of privacy. We don't have a whole lot of choices either. We're provided food, both in the habitats and out of them. From what I've gathered, the Keepers find food that they think we will enjoy based on what animal traits we have. I get a lot of fish because I'm a cat Faunus. All of us cat Faunus get a lot of fish. Don't me wrong, it's enjoyable enough, but you'd think they'd give us just a little variety from time to time. At least the fish they give us isn't raw. Apparently it used to be in the old days.

We get toys to play with while we're in the habitats. Again they're based on what actual cats like to play with. There are balls of yarn and things like that. The Keepers like it when we play with the toys. I think it makes the visitors happy. It's pretty fun for us too. At least when we're kids.

I've actually done some pretty creative things with a ball of yarn. It helps when you have opposable thumbs and some imagination.

I said life in a menagerie is hard, but, honestly, you don't ever notice until you're older. When you're six, you don't really pay attention to the humans staring at you. It's a different story when you're sixteen and have learned some things.

Anyway, I've gone off track from what I wanted to tell you. I've never written a story, or an account, or a memoir, or a whatever before so I don't know if this is normal. But hopefully my deviation has helped put in some context that I might have missed earlier.

You're here to listen to a story. Like always, you humans want some entertainment from a Faunus. Well, congratulations! I'm actually willing to oblige this time. Maybe you'll learn something you didn't expect. After all, that's what the point of this story is. To tell you something. To help you understand how things need to change. But, more on that later.

For now, let me tell you about how my little adventure got started. Things started happening on Penelope's 17th birthday.

* * *

I was spending my day in one of the cat Faunus habitats.

I suppose I should describe the habitat to you. Well, it was pretty moderately sized as cat habitats go. I had a decent amount of space to work with and it and some large trees that had branches just sturdy enough to climb.

Over the years I've developed what you might call 'routines' for whatever habitat I'm put in. I've picked up some tricks from older Faunus and I've watched some of the actual cats held here as well. Oh yeah, I probably should've mentioned that earlier. Menageries don't typically have just Faunus. Anyway, I've caught glimpses of lions, and tigers, and so on and have borrowed things they seem to do to keep themselves occupied.

I've always done my best work in the habitat with the trees. Like I've said, the trees have sturdy branches and I'm actually a rather good climber.

So I spent most of Penelope's birthday performing my routine in front of crowds of humans. I spent my day climbing and lounging in the trees. I went swimming in the pool that was in the habitat. There was a small viewing area where people could watch me when I was underwater. I had some specific tricks for those people. When I got tired of swimming I would lay around and air dry. Then I did some playing around with the assorted toys the Keepers leave scattered about.

I remember on that particular day there were some people who were rather annoying. They would slam on the glass with their hands and try to get me to do certain tricks by gesturing and yelling. It was one of those times I was happy that the glass was sound proof. I couldn't hear anything on the other side of the glass.

I didn't oblige them either. Once I realized what they were doing, I climbed one of the trees that was further away and simply didn't move.

They weren't particularly happy with that and smacked the glass a few more times and sent a hand gesture my way. I was feeling peevish at that point, so I sent the gesture right back. Boy did that surprise them. I must confess to feeling satisfaction at the looks that were on their faces before they ran to find their parents. I don't think they believed the kids either.

I also remember a little girl in a rather cute pink dress who seemed almost seemed scared of me. I felt a little sad at that. I didn't like being in the habitat, but I didn't want to scare kids either.

I waited until she was really close to the glass before I slowly moved up to her. I didn't make any sudden moves. I could tell that she would bolt if I moved too quickly and startled her.

When I was close to the glass I slowly raised my hand and pressed it against the transparent plane. The little girl seemed to realize what I was trying to do and put her hand in the same place as mine. I think the other people who were there were shocked at what was happening. No one else moved and the girl and I locked eyes.

I gave her a gentle smile, one of the ones I save for Penelope, and gestured her to move closer. Eventually she moved close enough that her nose pressed against the glass. Her breath fogged up the glass a little as she stood there.

Then I slowly lifted my other hand and lightly poked where her nose pressed against the glass.

"Boop," I said and then whisked away towards one of the trees and quickly scaled it.

I still vividly remember the look on her face as I watched her from my perch. She looked surprised and genuinely happy. I'm pretty sure that was the most intimate moment I'd ever had with a human. Other kids were trying to prompt me to do the same thing, but I ignored them. I simply watched the girl until she left my sight. I don't know what she got from the experience, but I was simply happy that I had made a little girl less scared of me.

Those were the highlights of my day in the habitat on Penelope's birthday. Otherwise it was a day like any other. I just tried to do my routine every now and then and tried to ignore some of the looks that were sent my way. Apparently I'm really pretty, and that seems to prompt some kind of response from some of the more immature members of humanity.

To me, my day didn't really begin until after the menagerie closed. Here's something you might want to know. There are enough Faunus in most menageries that they need to have an area set up where we can all stay. They keep so many of us in the habitats for a certain number of days, and then they rotate us out. Some of us see more habitat time than others, but everyone, old and young, spends time in the habitats.

It's in this home area where the 'controlled repopulation' occurs. We're placed in an environment that helps us form a sense of community and where we can become closer, fall in love, have sex, and make babies.

It works too. When everyone has this much shared time and experience, love and relationships are bound to come up. I was born in this menagerie. So was Penelope. I'd be willing to bet hard, cold cash that one of the signs outside of the habitats I stay in has that information put on it.

That day, however, was my last scheduled day in the habitat until the next time I was rotated in. When the menagerie closed down I plopped myself down on one of the more comfortable spots and relaxed. If you're in a habitat, you sleep and eat and do everything there until you're rotated out.

I had just gotten comfortable when I heard a door open and someone called out "Come on, Eleanor. You're done." Those are words I still love to hear.

I immediately hopped up and started heading for the exit. As always, there was a Keeper there. I had done this drill before. I waited to the side of the door until the Faunus who would be replacing me came in.

It was Penelope's father, Forst. He saw me and we quickly embraced.

"Give her my best." He whispered into my ear.

"Of course." I said without hesitation. "It's her special day after all."

We stayed embraced until the Keeper cleared his throat softly. We disengaged our hug and exchanged nods. Then I followed the Keeper into a hallway and toward the homes of the cat Faunus.

"I heard about the little girl you charmed today." The Keeper said after a moment. I didn't answer. I certainly wasn't going to talk about that moment with a Keeper. He seemed to recognize that and changed the subject. "I also heard about what you did to those two boys who were harassing you." He added. "The guys and I had a good laugh at that. I don't think they expected a Faunus to give them the middle finger. We had a talk with them about their behavior." I grunted and didn't speak.

It wasn't that long afterward that we arrived at the home area of the cat Faunus. I guess if you think about it it's just another form of habitat, but instead of having trees and pools it had a series of really small houses where small families could stay and commune with each other.

We didn't like thinking about it as such, but it really is the truth. We probably have less privacy here than we do in the habitats. The Keepers always seem to know when certain Faunus are getting close and they end up having habitat time together and their relationships grow. The Keepers also always find out when one of us is pregnant. Then the couple in question is immediately given medical checkups to make sure that they are healthy and that the baby will be too.

Like I said, we try not to think about it too much. It starts getting uncomfortable.

Anyway, once we reached the collection of small homes, the Keeper clicked a couple of buttons on the device at his wrist. Then he waved his hand and said, "Okay, you're good. We'll come get you when we need you. But I don't think that'll be for a few days."

I gave the Keeper a nod and then walked down the… I guess you would call them streets, of our living area. I walked at a casual pace until I was certain that I was out of the Keeper's line of sight. Physical line of sight anyway. They likely had cameras everywhere, but still.

The moment I was out of his line of sight, I took off running towards my family's home. I reached the place in moments and quickly entered. I found Penelope in my bedroom. I launched myself at her with a cry of "Happy Birthday, Penelope!"

My flying tackle drove us into the bed, which was surprisingly softer than you might think, and we both burst out into a fit of giggles.

"I'm so happy you got out!" My best friend said. "I was worried that I was going to spend the rest of my birthday by myself." I let out a snort.

"Please. I'd have found a way to get to you somehow." We both knew that was a load of crap, but we appreciated the thought. I wouldn't have been able to leave the habitat, not to mention enter the home area, without clearance from a Keeper. The devices bound to our legs made sure of that.

"I know you would have." Penelope said, understanding my meaning. "Even still, I'm glad we'll be able to spend a few days just celebrating."

"Your father sends his best, by the way." I told her. The red head smiled.

"We've been spending time together all day. Dad always tries to spend what time he can with me." I nodded. Penelope's mother had been declared 'untame' a few years ago. Neither of them had taken it well and they had grown closer as a family as a result. And since Penelope and I had always been close, our two families had grown closer as well.

"Why aren't my parents pampering you or something?" I asked, looking around as if they were hiding somewhere in the tiny room. The red head sighed and I understood. "Them too?" I asked and Penelope nodded. Her red tail wrapped around her body and I held her close. "I'm not going anywhere." I said. "You know that, right?" She nodded and relaxed a little.

"I know." She said.

"Hey, Penelope." I said with a small smile. She met my eyes and I poked her lightly on the nose. "Boop."

She burst into a fit of giggles and swatted me lightly on the arm. I swatted back and we kept it up for a few minutes, laughing. We calmed down and simply sat there, enjoying each other's company. I don't know how you spend your birthdays, but as far as we're concerned, this is a great one. It's rare to spend a special day with someone you care about here.

"What did the Keepers give you?" I asked eventually. The Keepers always gave Faunus two things on their birthday. A special meal, usually something a little more exotic than our standard fare, and a special toy. We all tended to share the toys the Keepers gave us as a matter of principle. It helped provide a little more variety with what we could do in the habitats, but there was also an unspoken rule that toys that were gifts from the Keepers were to be treated with more respect than the normal ones.

Penelope smiled and said sarcastically, "I got something so completely unique everyone in town was jealous. I got some fish." We both burst into giggles again. "I saved some for you." She added, once we had settled down again.

"You didn't have to do that." I told her. "It's your special day, not mine."

"I know." She said. "But I wanted to. You're my best friend. That's what best friends do." I smiled.

"Then let me give you a birthday present of my own." I said. "I want you to have the part you saved for me." There was a great warm rush in my chest when I said those words. I'd never been able to give Penelope anything before. Other than my friendship, there was nothing I actually could give her. It was a wonderful feeling. It's a memory I always cherish.

"Are you sure?" Penelope asked. "I really don't mind if you have it."

"I'm sure." I said, with complete confidence. Penelope gave me a crushing hug.

"Thank you." She whispered. "It's a wonderful feeling. To be given something by someone I'm close to." I returned the hug with equal force.

"It's a wonderful feeling to give it." I said just as softly. We stayed like that for a while, simply basking in the feeling of being able to exchange a gift. We eventually came apart.

"What was the toy?" I asked. Penelope reached over and picked up something she had set off to the side.

"Hold out your hand." She said. I was immediately suspicious.

"Why?" I asked. She laughed.

"Because it's small and I want you to get a good look at it. It's not a live bug or anything, honest." I relented and held out my hands. Penelope dropped a small toy in my hand.

"What is this?" I asked. Penelope didn't answer with words. Instead she set the toy on my hand and turned something on the top. After a few twists she released the toy and it began to move of its own accord on my hand.

I jumped in surprise and the little toy fell onto the bed and continued moving. I stared at it in utter shock.

"They gave you a wind-up mouse?" I asked in awe. Penelope beamed.

"I don't know why." She said happily. "But they did. It's not like I can really use this in the habitats, but they gave me it anyway." The mouse stopped moving and I slowly reached for it.

"May I?" I asked. Penelope nodded and I carefully picked up the toy. I held it firmly in one hand and twisted the crank with the other. After a few twists, I set it down on the floor and simply watched it scurry along the ground until it stopped moving. "Wow." I said. I didn't know what else to say. I'd never seen a toy this complex given as a present by the Keepers.

I don't know how many hours we spent playing with that mouse. After years of yarn and balls and other little toys of that sort, this was something incredible. It had moving parts. I don't know if you realize just how rare something like this was for us. I don't feel shame in saying that we acted like a pair of five year olds for hours with that little mouse.

It was sturdy too. We used it on our dining room table and it fell of before either of us could catch it. It hit the floor and didn't seem to get any damage at all.

It was a wonderful birthday present. It made our night. I should've realized that it was too good of a moment. I should've realized that something had to go wrong.

 **Author's note: What do you all think? Good? Bad? Go fly a kite? Let me know in the reviews. Don't forget to follow and favorite! See ya next time!**


End file.
